After we went remote, I was paid less than I would have been for my spring semester work, and lost the paid opportunities for commencement and this summer. Now, my savings account has… no savings. Any money I do have saved will be paid to Yale’s SIC or summer income contribution, instead of a post-grad opportunity or any contingency plan in deferring next semester.

Before COVID-19 changed my plans, I was going to use this spring and summer as an opportunity to save money. These are the last few months before my senior year, and my on-campus jobs, commencement job, and work plans for summer were all going to add money into my savings account that I can’t make during school. However, after we went remote, I was paid less than I would have been for my spring semester work, and lost the paid opportunities for commencement and this summer. Now, my savings account has… no savings. Any money I do have saved will be paid to Yale’s SIC or summer income contribution, instead of a post-grad opportunity or any contingency plan in deferring next semester. Now, as we all face an impossible decision in deciding whether to enroll in a bleak semester or defer without a set plan for the next six months, I feel like I have no choice to make. If Yale wants to ensure an equitable future for students on financial aid, it should eliminate the SIC.

Zach Miller, He/Him. 2021, Morse College